I just found these ads that the National Copper Plate Co. placed in the April 9 and July 9, 1898 issues of The Sporting News. The ads specifically mention that they intended to issue 26 parts - each with six prints (I had thought 5). They state that they measure 10" x 12", so these are certainly the "large" versions that exist.
I have not been able to find any ads after July 9, 1898, so I assume that the National Copper Plate Co. stopped offering them on their own in and instead licensed them to The Sporting News who offered them both in portfolios of 50 and individually as supplements to their weekly newspaper, removing some subjects as time went by and adding others.
The July 9 ad states that they have 6 different series available - the same amount as their June 4 ad, so I assume that their promotion lost steam and they stopped at just the 6 series even though they had planned on doing 26.
Last edited by Baseball Rarities; 12-08-2021 at 01:32 PM.
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